What is there to make of this long, empty season for the Knicks? They’re 13-55 and have the worst record in the NBA — right at a time when it has never been less advantageous to be woefully bad. They’ll be rewarded with a 14 percent chance at Zion Williamson and an 86 percent chance at more heartbreak. How do you like those odds?

The Knicks had long ago transitioned into the fan fiction part of their season. Dreams of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving dance in the heads of fans and, probably, execs alike. The road to Zion is clear, though unlikely statistically speaking. The most pressing question for Knicks fans until May is how to remove that unicorn tattoo they got 14 months ago.

Whether the Knicks strike out in free agency or build the latest super team, this season will not have been played in a void. The Knicks’ 2018-19 season, while it may have seemed like an episode of The Black Mirror, is actually happening and there is plenty to learn from...